The Komodo dragon has earned its status as a reptilian icon. The dragons can detect flesh from miles away while hunting an impressive array of prey, including deer, boars, horses, water buffalo — and one another. “It’s got this fearsome reputation,” said Craig Hilton-Taylor, a biologist with the International Union for Conservation of Nature. “It’s like seeing your storybooks come alive.”But now, the world’s largest living lizard has moved one step closer to being wiped out in the wild. Komodo dragons, previously considered a “vulnerable” species, were reclassified last weekend as “endangered” by the conservation organization.

Source: International New York Times September 08, 2021 20:26 UTC